Officials from a big financial management programme event held in the island say the event was a success.

The ‘Small Countries Financial Management Programme’ (SCFMP) was held at the Nunnery in Douglas, and hosted 26 officials from as far afield as the Caribbean, Pacific, Indian Ocean and Africa.

The SCFMP provided visitors with access to a range of practitioners and lecturers from Oxford University. The presenters covered topics such as debt sustainability, negotiation skills, leadership and regulatory improvement, while offering insights into how other small countries have tackled common problems.

Each participant brought a challenge with which they and their country were grappling with and modified them as they acquired key learnings.

Tim Cullen, the founder of the SCFMP, said: ‘The 26 government officials are now back home and applying what they learned during a week at the Nunnery.

‘They have carried home a lasting affection for the Isle of Man. One participant summed up the sentiments of many, saying: “The Isle of Man will always hold a special place in my heart”.’

Vijee Dusoroth, from the financial services commission of Mauritius, said: ‘The dedicated professionals who have worked to help the Isle of Man become what it is today have tremendous resilience, skills, and determination.

‘You have a beautiful country and the right people who have made the island a force to be reckoned with in the financial world’.

Paul Fisher, the programme director of the SCFMP, said: ‘The focus on personal leadership and encouraging participants to shine a light on their policy interventions from different perspectives was a unique selling point of the programme.’

This year’s programme was the first to take place since the passing of the SCFMP’s executive director Mark Shimmin, who died this year.

Mr Cullen paid tribute to him, saying: ‘The 2023 Programme took place against the backdrop of considerable sadness at the loss of a much-loved colleague. During a reception at Government House, moving tributes were paid to him in the presence of his family and many former colleagues.’